


When Her Partner Comes Home

by WriterKC



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Also Elliot is a Grandpa now, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bensler reunion, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Custody Battle, Domestic/established Bensler, Eventual reunion sex, F/M, Family, Kathy being a bitch, Long Distance Relationship, Returning Home, Romance, Welcome Home, Witness Protection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:42:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterKC/pseuds/WriterKC
Summary: It was over. He was safe. He was home at last. Hearing her voice on the phone every couple of months had never been enough. Just a little something I started in honor of Elliot's return.
Relationships: Olivia Benson/Elliot Stabler
Kudos: 9





	1. Home At Last

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: A Little something I started in honor of Elliot's return. It's AU because he was in witness protection, she knew about it and they've stayed in touch like they should have on the show. Enjoy!

"Me? I'm fine." She sets the phone down for a second to pour a glass of wine and smiles at the response from the other line. "Really I am. Just tired you know? I gotta hand it to Cragen, being a Captain is a whole different world." She takes a sip and leans back on her couch. "Noah's good. He sure is a handful though. He's at a sleepover. I can't tell you what it took to get him to do his homework before he left." A warm chuckle is heard and she smiles. "Gosh has it been that long? I'm sorry I haven't been in touch time just got away from me. I know you know how the job is but still. It's good to hear your voice. I miss you." Her smile widens at the response but her heart aches a little. Before she can say anything else there's a knock at the door. "Hey someone's here, I gotta go." She rolls her eyes when she hears " _Be safe."_ "I will. Don't worry about me. I'll call again when I get the chance." She sets the glass of wine down and picks up her service revolver that ever since Lewis she keeps with her at all times. "I love you too." She replies into the phone before hanging up.

She opens the door to two men she doesn't recognize, and her grip on her gun behind her back tightens reflexively.

"Uh hi, can I help you?"

"Captain Benson?"

"Yes?" Her mama bear instincts kick in worried something happened to Noah.

"We're with the witness protection program."

"Oh, which case is this about?" _And why did you come here instead of my office._

"This is a personal visit ma'am."

"Personal? Is it my son? Noah? Did something-"

"Relax Captain-"

"Olivia. What is this about?"

"You used to work with a man named Elliot Stabler correct?" _Oh god,_ she thinks, _someone traced the call and now he's gonna be killed because of me._

"Yes, what-" Then she realizes something, why are they using his actual name and not the identity he's had to live for 9 years.

She hears footsteps and suddenly he's there, leaning against her doorway casually with that smile and those blue eyes she had missed so much.

"I'm home Liv."

"Oh god." She tears up as she stares at him in disbelief. He was really here. Her Elliot was home at last. "How?"

"The men responsible for the bomb threat against your partner and his family were taken out by a sniper 3 days ago." One of the agents responded with a smile of his own. This was the part of his job he liked, reuniting people with their loved ones. "We asked Mr. Stabler if he wanted us to take him to his family home in Queens, but he gave us this address."

"It's over." Elliot's voice broke and his smile widened as he looked into her eyes for the first time since they took him away. Hearing her voice on the phone every couple of months or so had never been enough. He missed her so damn much.

"We'll let you two catch up."

"Thank you." She's glad when they walk away because the urge to throw her arms around her former partner, hold him tight, and just release all the heartbreak she's felt in the last decade was overwhelming. She didn't want to share that moment with anyone else.

"Ok I have 3 questions. One, we were just on the phone and you never mentioned this even once, why? Two, how did you get back to New York so fast? and 3, not that I'm not glad you're here but why not go see your kids first?"

"Livia." He chuckled at her ongoing stream of questions. "I haven't seen you in person in 9 years. Can't a guy get a hug first?"

"Honestly, I need a minute to make sure this is real, that I'm not hallucinating or something after the day I've had." His smile widened and he leaned in to kiss her deeply with a passion she hadn't felt since their first and last night together 9 years ago. The night they finally gave in to the feelings they'd had for so long only to be interrupted by agents like the ones that just left; telling them there had been a bomb in a package delivered to the Stabler home in Queens and that he'd need to go with them to stay safe. They had been devastated, but she wanted him safe so with a shattered heart she let him go. But, she didn't wash her sheets for 2 weeks. Some strings were pulled so they could stay in touch by phone, the calls were monitored but it was better than no contact at all. She moaned softly and sank into the kiss; feeling a sense of warmth and calm she hadn't felt in years. She was whole. He was home, and so was she.

"Did that feel real?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against him; inhaling the scent she had missed so much. She hummed contentedly as they swayed together for a minute. Then, she looked up at him again and leaned her forehead against his.

"hmm." She pretends to think about his question. "Well, maybe one more just to be certain." He grinned and kissed her again. She placed a hand on his slightly bearded cheek; a contrast from the clean shaven look he had when they were partners. She pulled back just so she could look at him for a minute. He was older, but still looked good. He looked a little thinner but still muscular. He had on a light blue t-shirt and jeans, a much more casual look then the suits from when they were on the job together. She had always loved that color on him since it matched his eyes. He wore glasses and what was left of his hair had a little more grey than when they saw each other last. "Man I missed you." They both had tears in their eyes.

"I missed you more." He leaned in to kiss her again but she stopped him.

"I still want my questions answered Stabler." He chuckled and rested his forehead against hers, nuzzling her nose.

"I got back yesterday, I didn't tell you on the phone because I wanted to surprise you, and I have friends that have been keeping tabs on Kathy and the kids for me. Kathy remarried and moved to floridia. She took Eli with her. This was the only place that would feel like home."

"What if I had kicked you out?"

"I'd just camp out outside your door." He teased and she raised an eyebrow at him when she noticed his suitcase.

"Bold of you to assume I would let you stay." She teased him back.

"Oh I-I mean I can get a hotel if you-" She cut him off with a kiss.

"You're a pain in the ass El, but you're _my_ pain in the ass."

"Ditto." He smirked.

"Hey!" She slapped his chest lightly.

"You seeing anyone?" She laughs.

"That ship sailed a long time ago. It's just me and Noah."

"Guess that's good for me then."

"Enough with the sweet talk El. You're already in. Have been for years." She placed a hand on his chest. "What about you? Still a bachelor?" He kissed her hungrily.

"Oh baby, I'm no bachelor. There's only room for you."

"Guess that's good for me then." She mocked him and he chuckled. "Have you had dinner yet?"

"I could eat. You thinking Chinese and beer like old times?"

"I'd like that." She smiled and pulled out her phone and reading glasses to look up a takeout menu.

"What happened to the paper menus?"

"My son colored all over them when he was a toddler."

"Ah." She ordered and looked up at him to see him grinning at her.

"What?"

"Being a mother suits you. I always knew it would."

"Some days I'm not so sure. But, I wouldn't trade Noah for the world."

"I'm proud of you Olivia. I know I've said it on the phone, but still. I can't wait to meet him."

"About that, El are you sure you're safe now? You're in the clear? Do you think you should lay low for awhile just in case?"

"It's over, they said I didn't have to worry anymore."

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

" _Now_ who's the overprotective partner?"

"Well...consider it payback." She teased and moved to the door to get the food that had arrived. His smile drops as he watches her lock and relock the door 3 times. Likely a habit picked up after her abduction 6 years ago and fueled even more by the fact that she now had a son to protect as well. Not to mention her concern for Elliot's safety.

"Liv-"

"I can't lose you El, not again. I couldn't take it if-" Her voice cracked.

"I know." He soothed. "You won't, I promise." He pulls her into his arms and kisses her temple. "You won't lose me, or Noah, and I will do anything to keep you safe."

"You know it's been 6 years, and I still sleep with my gun under my pillow because the one thing I can't get over is why I froze and didn't pull my gun on him when I saw William Lewis in my apartment. It's been 2 years since Noah was kidnapped and I can't get over the fact that I didn't see the red flags, that I didn't see Shelia Porter for who she was, that I let her around my son. It's been 9 years since you went into WITSEC, and I still wonder if I could have tried harder to find the people who sent the bomb."

"It was outside your jurisdiction."

"But I was your partner! I should've known-"

"What like I should've known William Lewis was gonna take you?"

"If that bomb had gone off with you or your family in the house-"

"But it didn't."

"Elliot-"

"Come on _Captain_. Don't do this to yourself." She smiles when he uses her title.

"I'm really glad you're home."

"I wish I could've come home sooner."

"Well you're here now, and if anyone tries to mess with you again they'll have to deal with me."

"Noted." He kissed her forehead when she came back and brought him a beer from the fridge.

**X**

They had eaten their dinner, and bites of each other's, then relaxed on the couch together. Their conversation was comfortable and easy like they hadn't spent 9 years apart. Even the moments of silence were spent just enjoying the other one's company. 'Just like old times'. Man had they missed this. Elliot had his arm casually wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned into his side as they laughed at some stupid comedy on the television together. Eventually she had turned it off and snuggled closer to him. He broke the silence.

"So...Noah's at a sleepover? That means we're the only ones here right?" He grins and she laughs at his boldness.

"Elliot!"

"What?"

"You know what." She smirked.

"Hey it was an innocent question on my part, your mind was the one in the gutter."

"Uh huh." She gives him a knowing look. "El you should know I'm not...I don't look the same as I did the last time we….my body has changed a lot in the past decade."

"Liv-"

"I know I told you what he did to me over the phone after it happened, but you haven't actually seen the scars yet and-"

"Olivia-"

She hides her face in the crook of his neck to avoid looking in his eyes. "Even without the scars I'm older. I have sags where curves used to be-"

"First of all that's not true. You are breathtakingly beautiful. Just as you were 10 years ago."

"El-"

"Second no scars will ever change the way I look at you. I hate him for what he did to you, but it doesn't make me love _you_ any less. Ever."

"I just...I like that our last memory of us together was before everything happened. I like that the last time we made love was when I was a lot more confident than I am now."

"Livia don't cheapen yourself like that. You think if for some reason it's not as 'good' as it was then I'll run off and find someone else? Because there's not a chance of that happening. I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to."

She trusts him. She does. But no matter how many years had passed since her abduction, some intimacy issues still lingered.

"We don't have to do anything until you're ready, I don't want to push you into anything. We'll go at your pace. I just need you to know that nothing that happened to you will change the way I look at you or how I feel about you. I'm not Brian Liv."

"I know you're not." She knows because a few days after her ordeal she had a particularly horrific nightmare and Brian was at work. She woke up alone and tried calling him to ask him to come home but he told her he was too busy. She ended up calling Elliot, and told him everything that happened. Even though he couldn't be there physically, he comforted her with his words, soothed her with his voice. He stayed on the line with her until she was able to go back to sleep. She told him the things Brian couldn't handle hearing and he just listened. He knew her better than anyone else, he'd spent 12 years by her side after all. "I want us to be able to connect like that again El. I just...give me a few days to assure myself that you're really here."

"Ok." He kissed her head. Before either of them could say anything else her phone rang and she groaned.

"Captain Benson. What happened? No...no that's ok I'll come pick him up. Thank you." She sighed and turned back to Elliot. "Noah threw up at the sleepover. I'm hoping he just had too much sugar but I'm gonna go get him just in case."

"Want me to run to the pharmacy and get some medicine?"

"No, I want you to stay here where I know you're safe." She gave him a quick kiss before getting up to get her purse. "I'll stop by the store on my way home, and I've got a thermometer here. I'll check his temperature and call his doctor tommorrow if he has a fever. Stay away from windows and don't answer the door while I'm gone."

"Ok mom!" She rolled her eyes.

"Hey mister 'just in the neighborhood' and 'blink your lights when you get inside'...yeah don't think I've forgotten those lines over the years." She replied and headed towards the door but stopped. "Service revolver's on the dresser if you need it, I've got my personal one in my purse."

"Liv, I'll be fine. Go get your boy." He chuckled.

"Sorry. I guess I'm just feeling a bit protective." He just smiled and turned on the tv.

**X**

He had dozed off, but looked up when he heard the door open and saw Olivia carrying a sleeping Noah and a couple grocery bags.

"How is he?"

"Stomach bug. It's been going around at school. His friend's mom gave him some Tylenol. I'm gonna put him to bed and probably keep him home from school tomorrow. I got some Gatorade at the store, and I wasn't sure what you'd want for breakfast in the morning, but I got some more cereal."

"That's fine." She leaves the room for a few minutes to tuck Noah in and then joins Elliot on the couch.

"I've still got a couple of your t-shirts and sweatpants for you to sleep in." He raised an eyebrow.

"Tucker, Brian, David, none of them had a problem with you owning another man's clothes?" She rolled her eyes.

"It's not like I had your _underwear_. Besides I didn't wear them when they were around. Brian only found out because we lived together, and everyone but me thought you were dead El. He just assumed it was my way of grieving and holding on to your memory."

"So you didn't wear them when they were around...but you _do_ wear them?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I would." She groaned.

"Fine. Yes. They're comfortable." His grin grew wider. "Don't get too cocky, I wore one of Brian's old t-shirts the other night."

"But it was less comfortable than mine right?"

"You're a child. Ok, stop bugging me about the clothes or you're sleeping on the couch in what you have on."

"What's the alternative to the couch?"

"If you want to find out go change while I put away the groceries. I laid the clothes I have of yours on my bed."

"Well which are your favorite to wear? I wanna save them for you."

"Elliot." She warned.

"Got it Cap." She shook her head and smiled. _Man_ it felt good to have her best friend back.


	2. Meeting Noah

Something seems different about her pillow when she wakes up the next morning. It's comfortable but seems firmer and warmer. Still, she snuggles into it wanting to savor the last few moments of sleep she can get. As she wakes up more she realizes her pillow is moving. She smiles when she realizes it's not a pillow her head is resting on, but her former partner's chest. His light snoring fills the bedroom reminding her that it's not a dream, he was really home. She placed a lingering kiss on his jaw and then glanced at the clock and Elliot stirred and tightened his arms around her.

"El I gotta get up." He mumbled something against her neck where his face was buried. She laughed and tried to push him away.

"Five more minutes." He grumbled in a child-like tone.

"Hey, you can sleep as long as you want. I've gotta go check on Noah and see if I need to take the day off to take him to the doctor."

"But I want to hold you." She smiled and finally wormed her way out of his grip handing him her pillow.

"Here."

"Fine." He admires her impressive body as she leaves their bed. She feels his burning gaze on her and she rolls her eyes; knowing he's checking her out.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

"Is that a request?" She swings her hips a little dramatically to tease him. "I'll get up in a few minutes and help you with breakfast."

"It's just cereal this morning. I'll make some coffee for us after I check on Noah." A thought strikes him

"Liv?" Even after 9 years physically apart she can still read his mind.

"He's seen your picture. He knows I have a friend that had to go away for a while, that's all. He's 8 El. He'll ask you a million questions, but he's not gonna read you the riot act. You're not his mother so you're not gonna nag him to do his homework or put his dishes in the sink." She gives him an understanding smile knowing what he's really nervous about. "We don't have to tell Kathy or your kids until you're ready." He sighs sadly.

"I've missed my kids. You know I have I just...the twins spent the last 9 years thinking I was dead, Maureen and Katie have had to spend the last 9 years _pretending_ I was dead, Eli probably doesn't even remember me. I couldn't stay in touch with them like I did with you. I don't want them to feel betrayed. I don't want them to hate me." He's sitting on the edge of the bed now and her smile drops as she notices how tired and worn out he looks. The years of heartache, worry, and guilt have taken their toll.

"Hey, they could never hate you. They'll be hurt and it will take them time to adjust and to understand that this _wasn't your fault_ , that it was _out of your control_ , but they love you. They've missed you. You didn't do anything wrong El. You were protecting yourself and your family."

"Kathy's new husband, is he good to them?"

"From what I've heard he is, but he's not you. You're not an easy man to replace Stabler." She gives his shoulder a squeeze. "Their mother getting remarried doesn't make them miss their daddy any less. No matter how old they are." He swallows a lump in his throat.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough for being here for them when I couldn't." She kisses his head and wraps her arms around him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I love them like they're my own."

"I know you do." He kisses her deeply but she quickly pulls back.

"What's wrong?"

"Babe I love you but you've gotta brush your teeth." He chuckled and puckered his lips again. She swatted him away and laughed. "Go! If there's one thing that hasn't changed in 9 years it's your morning breath."

"And yours smells like lilacs?"

"I want it to smell like coffee so I'm gonna go make some while you're taking care of yours."

"Yes, Captain."

"Will you stop?" She couldn't remember the last time she laughed this much and it felt so good.

"I'm going I'm going!"

**X**

"Mom?" She heard the sleepy voice of her son as she walked into his room. "Do I have to go to school today?"

"Well that depends, how is your tummy this morning?"

"It doesn't hurt, but I don't want to go to school."

"How come?"

"Because I don't want to!"

"Hey, don't use that tone with me, young man. Is someone bothering you at school?"

"No."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Well sweetie we all have things we don't like to do but we have to anyway. School is important, and plus you get to see your friends."

"They're not my friends anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok well if you're sick I can stay home with you today but if not I'm afraid you'll have to go back to school."

"But mooom." He whined.

"No buts, now go on and get out of bed or no X-BOX when you get home."

"Ugh."

"What was that?"

"Yes, mom."

"Better. Now, honey, there's something else we need to talk about."

"I know, you have to work so Maury's gonna babysit me after school." Oh crap. She'd completely forgotten about that. 'Maury' was Noah's nickname for Elliot's daughter Maureen. Lucy had to go out of town for a couple of weeks and Olivia needed a babysitter so she called the Stabler girls and Maureen had been coming over and watching Noah while she was at work.

"She is. But that's not what I want to talk to you about. Noah, do you remember when you found a picture of mommy's friend Elliot?"

"Yeah. He fought bad guys like you but then he had to go away and you were sad because you missed him."

"I was and I missed him very much but guess what?"

"You're sad enough to not make me go to school?"

"Not even close. In fact, I don't have to be sad anymore. I'm super happy because Elliot got to come back. He came over last night and we talked for a while, and he's really excited to meet you. But you can't meet him if you don't get dressed and ready for school."

"Ok, mommy!" She laughed at how quickly her son's mood changed and went back into the kitchen where Elliot had already started the coffee maker.

"El-" Before she could say anything he took a sip and gave her another deep kiss. She moaned softly at the taste of coffee on his tongue.

"Better?"

"Mm much. Listen, I need to tell you something."

"Is Noah still sick?"

"No, he feels fine today, so I'm sending him to school but I totally forgot that Maureen is coming over this afternoon. She's been watching him for me after school for a couple of weeks."

"Oh."

"If you want me to call and cancel-"

"No. She deserves the truth. They all do. Besides Maureen and Kathleen know I was in the program they just don't know we've been in contact all these years. It's the twins and Eli that will be the hardest."

"I don't have to tell them I've been in touch with you."

"It'll probably be obvious Liv. Look, it's fine. I appreciate that you're trying to make this readjustment to my old life thing easier on me, but I can handle it."

"Only if you're sure. I wouldn't blame you if you needed time."

"I've had 9 years Olivia, that's plenty of time. I miss my family. Hell, I even miss my job." She couldn't help the thought popping in her head when he said he missed his family that he also meant Kathy. Just like she had with him earlier, he could read her mind.

"Kathy's remarried. She's happy. She deserves to be."

"And you?"

"I came home to _you_ because I love you. I've loved you for 22 years and the past 9 years away from you were painful. I'm home Liv. I have no intention of going anywhere. You make me very happy. Don't ever doubt that."

"You make me happy too." He grinned.

"Good. That's my biggest goal."

"Are you Mr. Elliot?" The voice of her son interrupted them and Elliot's smile widened as he squatted down to the child's level.

"Yes, I am! You must be Noah."

"Mommy says you're my real daddy," He said innocently, and then skipped back to his bedroom as Elliot turned up to meet Olivia's shocked and slightly embarrassed eyes.

"Liv?"

"He had been asking me why he didn't have a dad. He found a picture of you and asked if that's who daddy was and I said yes. I'd much rather he think his dad was someone like you than know his dad was actually a monster. I grew up knowing mine was and I didn't want to do that to my son. Who better of contrast for him to think is his dad than my best friend?"

"I get that honey, just wasn't expecting it."

"Well, you know how children are." She gives him a small smile. "I'll tell him the truth when he's older. But for now, I want him to have the childhood I didn't get to have." They both turned when they heard a knock on the door.

"Liv it's Kathleen! I didn't know where else to go." She turned to look at Elliot, torn between helping the woman she thought of as her daughter and not wanting to rush Elliot into anything.

"Just a second sweetie! El?" He swallows hard, emotion building in his throat.

"Ok." He nods and she opens the door but before she can speak to prepare her the younger woman is already inside.

"Liv I did something really-" A brief pause and then a gasp as she looks behind Olivia at the man standing next to the counter gripping it so hard his knuckles are white.

"Oh my god...dad?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Shoutout to AllforHargitay, Alicia, and Tstabler who gave me some ideas while writing this chapter. Particularly the morning breath scene (AllforHargitay) based on a twitter convo, and Noah's "mommy says you're my real daddy" line (Tstabler). Also in the first chapter, I had put that Elliot had friends that had kept tabs on Kathy and the kids for him. I decided I didn't like that and wanted it to be that Olivia had stayed in touch with them some too consider that changed. This was fun. Till next time y'all! Enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated :)


	3. Kathleen

"Oh my god...dad!?" Elliot is too choked up to respond. He clears his throat, and steps closer to her.

"I'm home." Those two words bring tears to the eyes of both women in the room.

"How? When? Liv knew about this?" Kathleen turns to Olivia, and out of habit, Elliot finds the words to respond in order to defend his partner.

"Last night. I surprised her too." Olivia nods tearfully; deciding it's better if the younger woman doesn't know her father had only stayed in touch with her.

"He did. It was the best surprise I've ever gotten." That part was the absolute truth. The partners share a warm smile before turning their attention back to Kathleen.

"So...this is real?"

"Yeah honey, it is." Kathleen sobs and throws her arms around her father.

"Oh, daddy! I missed you so much." Elliot chokes back a sob of his own.

"I missed you too Katie."

"Mom I'm ready for school." Noah nearly runs into Elliot and Kathleen which makes the adults in the room laugh. "Katie are you and Tommy gonna watch me after school too?" Elliot goes back into protective father mode.

"Who's Tommy?" Kathleen rolls her eyes.

"No one dad." Olivia laughs at how quickly the dynamic Elliot had with his kids had returned.

"Ok Noah stop pestering them and let's go. We'll let you two catch up."

"But mom, I've barely gotten to talk to Mr. Elliot." Elliot chuckles.

"Noah, buddy you don't have to keep calling me _Mr._ Elliot."

"Ok, dad."

"Wait...what?" Kathleen's puzzled expression is almost comical.

"Ok! We're going! Now, Noah." Olivia's tone is firm, but she smirks at her son's bluntness.

"Hey, why don't we all go?" Elliot chimes in. Olivia looks at him like he has 5 heads. "Come on Livvie. It'll be fun." She debates for a moment if it's really safe for him to be out and about again on just his second day out of the program. But she decides she's being overprotective and sighs.

"Alright. But I'm warning you, the interrogation won't stop in the car." She adds teasingly.

"I've had 5 kids. I'm aware."

"Hey!" The partners laugh at Kathleen's outburst.

**X**

To the other parents in the drop off line, they looked like one big happy family. A mom and dad in the front seat laughing and shaking their heads at their two kids in the back. No one had any reason to believe they hadn't been together this whole time. Olivia loved it. She loved having 3 of the people that meant the most to her all in the car with her. She had sent a text to Fin that morning saying something came up with Noah and she wouldn't be in until later, so he was in charge. After a tough few weeks for the SVU Captain, she was savoring this moment of happiness.

"Bye, mom! Bye, dad! Bye Katie!" Noah jumped out of the car, but Olivia got out to stop him.

"Noah! Honey, you forgot your lunch!"

"Thanks, mom!"

"Have a good day at school buddy."

"Thanks, dad!" Elliot smiled at him but knew that was gonna take getting used to.

"Olivia! Can I run something by you for a minute?" She turned toward the voice and noticed Noah's teacher coming towards her.

"Sure, everything ok?" Out of habit, she kicked into Captain mode.

"Oh yes, I'm sure you know it's Armed Forces Day Saturday. The school wants to put something together for military families like yours."

"Uh, we're not-"

"Oh, the way Noah talked about his father I thought he was deployed somewhere." Suddenly Elliot cut in.

"Sergeant Elliot Stabler, US Marine Corp." Olivia looked at him surprised and he gave her a look that said 'just play along', and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Nice to meet you, ma'am. Got an honorable discharge after 9 years of service. Now my only duty is to my beautiful wife and kids." He grinned at Olivia.

"Well welcome home sir. I'm sure your family is glad you're safe and sound." Olivia beamed at that and put a hand on his chest.

"We certainly are, and we're so proud of him." He pecked her lips sweetly.

"Well, I've gotta get back inside. Thank you for your service Sergeant."

"Elliot, what on earth was that?" Olivia asked once the teacher was out of earshot.

"We couldn't exactly tell her I'd been in the Witness Protection Program, and that I wasn't Noah's real father could we? Plus it's not a total lie. I _did_ serve. If anyone asks I'll just show my tattoo. He rolls up his sleeve, and she snorts at his goofy grin. Her anxiety causes her to drop her smile just as quickly.

"How long are we gonna keep up this 'happy families' thing before someone gets suspicious?"

"I thought we _were_ happy."

"We _are,_ but Elliot this is gonna get out of hand. I want us to have time to tell the rest of your kids and our friends the truth before the whole city knows."

"Liv, it's harmless. What's wrong with Noah being the cool kid with a marine for a dad? It's better than him being the kid who doesn't know his dad because his biological dad was a sex trafficker."

"You're right I just...I guess I'm feeling a little guilty. We've been staying in touch for the past decade behind everyone else's back and I know it was to keep you safe. You know I'd never want to jeopardize that. But we can't drag this on forever, people can get hurt. I don't want the rest of your family to find out you're still alive from a news article about an Armed Forces Day celebration at a school. The sooner we tell your family and our friends the truth the better it will be. Plus I know that technically it's safe for you to be home now, but I'd like for the people I trust on the force to know before the rest of the world does. It can't hurt to have backup just in case. Noah's probably already told half his class that his 'daddy is home now' so I probably need to have a talk with him. As much as I'd love to have you to ourselves for a while we have to be smart about this. I know you're nervous about how your kids will react, but you saw Kathleen. They love you El. It's the right thing to do."

"You're right. I know you are. I guess after spending 9 years alone it's nice to feel like part of a family again."

"Oh honey, we _are_ a family. We don't have to be married for that to be true. I've got you back, I've got Noah, we're gonna get you reunited with your kids again. I have everything I could want. Unless you're planning on going anywhere anytime soon?"

"Never." He smiles and leans down to whisper in her ear. "Semper Fi, baby." She gasps when he nips at her earlobe. "Elliot! We're parked in front of an elementary school." She laughs at his pout.

"Semper Fi." She pulls him in for a kiss, but as it starts to deepen they hear a throat clear.

"Are you guys getting back in the car, or are you gonna swallow each other?"

"You mean like you and Tommy almost did on my couch a couple of weeks ago?" Olivia raised an eyebrow.

"Liv!"

"Ok that's the second time I've heard the name 'Tommy'. Who is this guy?"

"He's harmless dad. I met him at school and we've been going out for a few months. Don't worry, Olivia did a background check on him."

"He's a man dating my little girl. I wouldn't call him harmless, but I assume he's clean?

"Well…" Olivia begins teasingly.

"Liv! Mean! Dad, he doesn't even have a parking ticket. Tell him Liv."

"She's right."

"Thank you!"

"He could use a haircut though."

"Liv! And dad I'm not a little girl anymore."

"You'll always be my little girl, and anyone who wants to date you should know that _and_ that I'm a retired marine and cop. That way they know if they hurt you I can and will kick their ass, and I know how to make it look like an accident." Both women roll their eyes at the last sentence, but can't deny they've missed his protectiveness.

"Well, you'll be glad to know Olivia already gave him that speech. She even showed him her gun and handcuffs." Olivia laughed and Elliot smiled proudly.

"Thanks partner."

"Ok ok, you guys are very cute, but can you please drive? We're holding up the line." As if on cue, someone behind them honked their horn. Elliot reached over to honk back but Olivia swatted his hand away and held her badge out the window to show the car behind her.

"Sorry officer!" The other driver called out before moving past her. Elliot smirked and yelled back.

"It's Captain!" Olivia rolled her eyes and drove in the other direction.

"You two are the goofiest couple I've ever met." Kathleen chimed in, but her tone was laced with laughter.

"Goofier than you and Tommy?"

"Dad! Seriously!" He just chuckled. "It's good to have you back daddy."

"It's good to be back sweetheart."

"Does Maureen know you're home?"

"Not yet. She was gonna come over to watch Noah today. But you can call her if you want." He swallows hard. "Then we gotta figure out how to tell the twins."

"Well...actually…that's what I was coming over to talk to Olivia about…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Had to get rid of Noah for the day so Elliot could reunite with more people lol. Next chapter: more conversation with Kathleen, Maureen gets the news, and so do some other people...who are they?
> 
> Side note: Shoutout to Cassie on twitter for the semper fi scene idea the other day :)
> 
> Happy Saturday!


	4. The Secret's Out!

"Does Maureen know you're home?"

"Not yet. She was gonna come over to watch Noah today, but you can call her if you want." He swallows hard. "Then we gotta figure out how to tell the twins."

"Well...actually…that's what I was coming over to talk to Olivia about…" Kathleen hesitated before continuing. "Liv you might want to pull the car over, or I can wait and tell you guys when we get back to your place."

"Katie I'm sure whatever it is it can't be _that_ bad." Even though Olivia had a nagging feeling in her gut, she wanted to stay calm.

"I told them."

"You what!?"

"The twins...and mom...and Eli. They know dad is alive and that he was in witness protection."

"Kathleen Stabler! What the hell were you thinking!?" Olivia shouts before Elliot can say anything.

"I'm sorry! I-"

"You're sorry!? Katie I trusted you! You know how dangerous it would have been for your dad and your family for word to get out that he was alive. How could you be so careless!?"

"Liv-"

"Not now El!"

"Olivia you don't know what mom's new husband is like! You don't know what she's like now that she's with him! It's disgusting! Why do you think you're the one I told about Tommy? Mom could care less. You're way more of a mother to us than she is. All she cares about is her new family with Jeff and his kids." Although touched by the fact that the younger woman saw her as a second mother, the anger, stress, and fear she felt was still flowing out in droves.

"I don't see how not liking Jeff is a reason to-Kathleen do you realize what could've happened if someone overheard them talking about your dad being alive in public!? The fewer people that knew the better! Jesus you could've gotten him KILLED! Did you think about that?"

"Olivia!" Elliot had been trying to get her attention the whole time.

"I said I was sorry!" Both women were yelling now.

"Sorry's not good enough! If someone had found out where your father was-"

"Do you really think Lizzie and Dickie would have said something Liv? We should've just told them from the beginning I don't get why you-"

"BECAUSE I PROMISED YOUR FATHER I WOULD KEEP YOU KIDS SAFE! Those guys that were after your father were after you too! All of you! I thought I could trust you and Maureen, but I guess I was wrong."

"Do you think it was easy for us? Having to pretend our father was dead for 9 years with our own family?" Olivia felt a twinge of guilt and softened at Kathleen's tears.

"Of course not. We probably shouldn't have told you guys either. I was doing what I thought was best. I'm sorry, but still what you did was really dangerous Kathleen."

"More dangerous than you and dad having monthly phone calls for 9 years? Yeah, don't think we don't know about that."

"Girls-"

"They were monitored, and I still don't get what that has to do with you risking your father's life over a family feud!"

"It wasn't just a-god Olivia why are you acting like you're the only one that was affected by what happened to dad!?"

"I'm not! That's why I'm upset Katie. You didn't just put his life in danger; you put all of your lives in danger for nothing-"

"OLIVIA!" Elliot grabbed the steering wheel harshly and Olivia finally looked at him realizing she'd nearly crashed into an oncoming car. "I swear to god if you don't pull this damn car over now I'm gonna take your handcuffs and arrest you!"

"You're upset with me? Elliot you could've been-"

"If you keep driving like this we all will be. Pull over!" The driving wasn't the only reason; Elliot knew how stubborn both he and Olivia could be when they were fighting, and Kathleen had a lot of him in her. He didn't want the bond his daughter and his partner had to be broken. "Ok." Elliot started again once she pulled over. "Step out of the car please. Both of you."

"Dad-"

"El-"

"Please."

"Fine."

"First of all, while you were screaming at each other about me while I was in the car; did you ever think I might like to have a say about all this?"

"She-"

"I thought-"

"Did you?" Both women sighed.

"No."

"Sorry dad."

"I love you both very much and I'm not going to take sides here, but the last thing I want is to be the person my partner and daughter are at each other's throats over."

"It was a matter of life and death El." She wasn't yelling anymore, but she still felt upset. The stress and loss and pain of the last decade had weighed on her and was bound to come undone at some point.

"I know Livia I just...I want you both to hear each other out ok?" She nodded at that; starting to regret her reaction. "Thank you. Katie, tell us what happened."

"You really don't know what Jeff is like Liv." Both women had softened.

"I know he's not your dad honey. Believe me, no one is." She managed a small smile.

"It's not just that though. All he does is talk about how great his own kids are, and now mom just acts like they're a family and ignores Eli. They haven't gone to any of his baseball games, they don't help him with his homework. The only reason he even still eats is that he stays with the one friend he's made all the time. It's really sad. And no one from our family lives in Florida; it's all Jeff's family. He hates it there. They treat him like crap and mom just goes along with it. She's horrible now!"

"I...I didn't know. If I had known I would' ve-" Hearing this made her heart crack.

"It wasn't your responsibility Liv." Kathleen nodded in agreement at her father's reply. "I think I need to have a talk with my ex-wife." He stated bitterly.

"We tried dad! Maureen, Lizzie, and Dickie and I. We all went to Maureen's and called mom. We told her she could stay down there if she wanted to, but we thought it would be best for Eli if he came back to New York. Maureen and her husband Steve were willing to let him live with them. Tommy and I were willing to help out. Even Lizzie and Dickie offered to let him stay with them at school if that didn't work out. Mom wouldn't have it. She kept yelling about how Eli was better off with them, and how we just needed to get over our dad's death because he was dead to her for years anyway even when he was alive and that Jeff was a better father than he ever was which is just not true daddy! Please don't think we'd ever think that."

"I know baby. It's ok."

"I lost it. I told mom she was being an ungrateful bitch because you went into the witness protection program to keep us safe, that Olivia was more like a mother to us than she's capable of being, and that she and Jeff don't deserve kids at all especially not Eli. It slipped out, I know it was wrong and I'm sorry, I just wish there was a way to get Eli away from them."

"There might be…"

"Liv…"

"Trevor's changed El. He's a good guy. I wouldn't have Noah if it weren't for him. It's worth a shot." He sighs.

"Alright." Olivia turns to Kathleen.

"Katie I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. If I'd known what was going on with Eli I would've done something sooner."

"I know you would've. I'm sorry we didn't tell you. We just thought you had enough on your plate with work and Noah, and we didn't want to pile more stress on you."

"You kids can always come to me no matter how busy I may seem. You're part of my family too." They hug warmly and then turn back to Elliot.

"Ok so I'll call Trevor when I'm back in my office. We'll sort out how we're gonna deal with Kathy. I guess the first thing though is should we call Maureen and the twins?"

"Maybe Maureen first since she was coming over to see Noah anyway. I know both of the twins have finals this afternoon, so maybe we should wait until tomorrow to tell them."

"Ok."

"Now that everyone's good, how about a group hug?" They laugh and let Elliot wrap his arms around both of them. He kisses the tops of their heads.

"I'm so lucky to have both of you. And Maureen, and the twins, and Eli...even Noah. Not everyone in the program has such a great family to return home too."

"I missed you daddy. Even though you could be stubborn sometimes."

"I missed you too Katie. Why don't you go back to the car and call Maureen. I wanna talk to Olivia for a second." They watch her get in the car and pull out her phone, and then Olivia turns to him.

"I'm sorry El. You trusted me to look out for them and-"

"And you did the best you could with the ones that live here. You had no control over Kathy moving away and getting married."

"Still-"

"Don't do this to yourself Liv. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else but you. I trusted you with my life and my kids' lives. I still do, and I don't regret it." She sighs.

"Alright. I swear I'm not gonna let her get away with this though."

"I know you won't. Hell hath no fury like the wrath of badass Benson." That makes her laugh, and she leans into him as he drapes his arm around her shoulder.

"Was that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"No. In all the years I've known you you've never raised your voice at one of my kids like that."

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Her guilty expression deepens.

"I do. You're under a lot of stress and something's wrong, and I want you to tell me so I can help." She shakes her head and looks away from him. "What's wrong babe?" He's surprised to see tears fill her orbs.

"I've lost so many people…"

"I know...but I'm not gonna be one of them." He kisses her forehead and wraps his other arm around her waist.

"I kept waiting for the call…" Her voice breaks. "After Simon, Rachel, Tucker...I thought is Elliot gonna be next?" He gets it; it's how he felt when he learned about her abduction 6 years ago. "It's been a really shitty year El."

"I'm sorry honey." He remembered when she'd called him about Simon, and how his heart had broken for her. Her only blood family. What had she done to deserve that? "I wish I'd been able to be here for you."

"You were in a way, and you're here now." She squeezed her eyes shut to hold in the tears, but a couple of stray ones fell anyway. She snuggled into his warmth.

"Let it out Livia. It's alright."

"I'm ok. Let's just go home." She tries to reassure him, but her smile doesn't reach her eyes. He rests his hand on the small of her back as they walk back to her car like he'd done so many times when they worked together.

"One more thing Liv."

"What?"

"I'm driving." He reaches for her keys and she genuinely smiles then.

"No you're not."

**X**

The second Kathleen gave her the news, Maureen was in her car driving to Olivia's apartment. She had to be sure she wasn't imagining it. Their dad was really home.

The first thing she noticed when she saw the three of them get out of Olivia's car was the light in Olivia's eyes, and the skip in her step that she hadn't seen in years. She smiled. She knew the bond between her father and partner went beyond what he and her mother had ever had. It was good to see the woman she considered a stepmother so happy.

"Dad!" He turned his head to see his oldest daughter running towards him, and it reminded him of when she was little and he came home from work. For the second time that day he teared up as he embraced one of his kids for the first time in a decade. "We missed you daddy!"

"I missed you too honey." She sniffled.

"Oh gosh I probably look like a mess. Oliver threw his breakfast on me this morning and I didn't have time to shower." She laughed.

"Oliver?"

"My son. Steve and I named him after Olivia; she's his godmother. He's 2 ½ now." He knew; he remembered the day Olivia called him and told him he was a grandpa. But he wasn't sure Maureen knew he and Olivia had stayed in contact, so he acted surprised. He grinned.

"I can't wait to meet him, and Steve too. I'm guessing Olivia did a background check on him?" He teased, and Maureen rolled her eyes.

"Of course he did." They chatted for a few more minutes as they walked up to Olivia's apartment.

"Has anyone called the twins yet?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So Elliot's a grandad now. His kids grew up! Sniff sniff. We'll meet the little family later. Next chapter we reunite with the twins, find out how they deal with the Kathy-Jeff-Eli situation, and yes I know Olivia has to go back to work at some point. :)
> 
> Review for a preview of the next chapter!


	5. New Look

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Just a note; this might be my last update for a while because online summer classes are starting. I promise I won't abandon this though. Thanks for reading!

"Has anyone called the twins yet?" Maureen asked as they entered Olivia's apartment.

"Not yet. I told Liv and dad what we did." Kathleen replied; still feeling slightly guilty.

"Sorry about that guys; we just-"

"We know Mo. It's forgiven." Elliot spoke up. He leaned back in the center of the couch, and his daughters sat on either side of him.

"Anyone want coffee?"

"After my morning that sounds great. Thanks, Liv."

"My firstborn is a wife and mother. How did that happen?"

"Steve and I both went to the same med school. I was studying to be a nurse and he was studying to be a doctor. We worked together on some stuff and fell in love; kinda like you and Liv. As for the mother part, I'm sure I don't need to explain how that happened."

"Please don't." Elliot teased. Olivia handed Maureen a cup of coffee, and the younger woman smiled gratefully.

"It was rough though; the pregnancy. Oliver was my miracle baby, but he's a fighter. He came way too early and it was touch and go, but he's a fearless survivor. Like his godmother."

"When can I meet him?"

"Maybe you can all come over for dinner Saturday? I can ask someone to cover my shift for me."

"That would be great. Liv?"

"Are you sure you want me to come El? It might be nice for it to just be you and your kids."

"You're part of our family too Olivia; it wouldn't be the same without you there. Please?" Olivia smiled at Maureen's comment; she had always wanted to be part of a family and this was a pretty great one to belong to.

"Alright. If we don't have a case I'll be there."

"Oh shoot, are we keeping you from work?"

"No, I texted Fin. He thinks I'm staying home because Noah's sick. They can handle things for today."

"When are you gonna tell him and the squad about dad?" Kathleen addressed the elephant in the room.

"Well, that's up to your father. When he's ready for people to know then we'll tell."

"Maybe not yet. I kinda like it just being me and my family right now." The 3 women nodded.

"Speaking of telling people things did I hear Noah calling dad _dad_ earlier? I thought he was adopted? Did you two meet somewhere secretly for some...reconnecting time?" Olivia laughed; embarrassed at the lack of filter her son was known to have.

"No, we did not. Noah's adopted. His school had a breakfast with dads thing and he was asking me why he didn't have a daddy. He's 8, so telling him he was adopted and his father was responsible for a sex trafficking ring wouldn't have been appropriate. I told him I didn't know, but that we've done pretty well without him. He was getting into stuff in my room one day and found a picture of your dad; he asked me if that was his daddy."

"So you said yes?"

"My mom told me during one of her drinking binges when I was about Noah's age that my dad was a monster, I looked just like him, and that's why she couldn't stand me. I was 10 when she blurted out that he was a rapist. I was too young to know what that meant yet, but I don't want Noah growing up knowing his father was evil. I want him to have the childhood I didn't get to have, so I let him have a little fantasy. I told him the man in the picture was his daddy, that he was my best friend, but he had to go away for a while. Having Noah believe that seemed a lot better to me than me growing up wondering why both my parents hated me." Elliot's kids didn't know as much as he did about Olivia's childhood, but they knew enough to know it wasn't a happy one.

"If it's any consolation Liv, I think he seems to be having a pretty happy childhood. You're a great mom."

"Thank you, Katie. It's not always easy, but I wouldn't trade him for the world."

"I know the feeling." Maureen smiled.

"Speaking of, Mo would you like a clean shirt?" Laughter filled the room.

"That would be great. Thank you."

**X**

They chatted for a while until Maureen had to go to work and Kathleen had to go to class. They decided Kathleen would call the twins and invite them to dinner at Maureen's on Saturday. That way, everyone could enjoy being together again without having to worry about rushing to school or work.

"Do you want anything for lunch El?"

"Don't tell me Olivia Benson cooks now?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, she's a mother so...mainly mac and cheese, spaghetti, grilled cheese, and PB&J's. Oh, and she knows how to order a pizza."

"Pizza sounds good."

"Is that your way of saying no to my cooking?"

"If I value my life." She picked up a pillow from the couch and threw it at him. "I'm kidding, baby I'm sorry. I'll have whatever you want."

"Well lucky for you I think pizza sounds good too, but tonight you're cooking dinner."

"Deal. I'm gonna go shave."

"You're not shaving it all off are you?"

"Why? You worried I won't be ravishingly handsome anymore?" he grinned, and she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"I like your new look. It's...nice."

"Just _nice?_ Not _sexy?"_

"Maybe just a little." She teased.

"I'm wounded, Benson. I'm wounded."

"Go shave your ego."

"I promise to leave some for you to enjoy."

"Do you want pizza or not?"

"Yes ma'am."

**X**

"Ok pizza will be here in about a half-hour." She walked into the bathroom and leaned against the doorway. Elliot nodded.

"Hey, Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you think I'd look bald? I mean like keep the beard but-" Her eyes widened.

"I mean if that's what you...are you sure El?"

"Might as well embrace my age right? I'm a grandpa now. It's not like I have much hair left anyway." She laughed.

"No, you really don't."

"Hey!" He chuckled.

"I just hope Noah doesn't get any ideas. I love that boy's curls."

"He's talked about going bald?"

"All last year he wanted a mohawk like this kid in his class."

"A mohawk huh? I had one of those back in the day."

"Oh god. I'd prefer for him to have your mullet from your high school days." She teased.

"I will never understand why my mother had to show you those pictures."

"Oh you were adorable, stop it. Especially that carrot costume."

"I was hoping you'd forgotten about that one."

"Never." She watched as the remaining strands on his head fell to the towel on her bathroom floor.

"Wow."

"You like it?"

"Not bad." He chuckled.

"C'mere. Feel it."

"You want me to _feel_ your head?"

"C'mon I won't bite. Yet."

"Elliot!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and sat on the counter. He placed his arms on either side of her caging her in as she peppered the top of his head with kisses. "I do like it. It brings out your eyes."

"Yeah?" He grinned and pulled her in for a kiss.

"What are you gonna do about this?" She kissed his bearded chin.

"What would you like me to do about it?" His voice made her shiver. "You cold?" Smug asshole. He knew what he was doing to her; what he _had_ been doing. Parts of her body felt more awake than they had in years since he'd been home.

"Stop that."

"What?" He smirked. "This?" He whispered huskily in her ear. She slammed her hand on the counter and clenched her thighs together. What was she? 16? This man would be the death of her. She glared at him, and his grin widened.

"God yes!" He chuckled.

"You want me, " He paused. "To shave it all off or keep a goatee?" He waggled his eyebrows seductively. She smirked back. 2 could play in this game.

"Oh, I want you." She sucked on his earlobe. "Goatee. But first, take your shirt off." He grinned and did as she asked.

"Your turn."

"Oh no, not yet." She took his shaving cream and rubbed in on his face. Then she took his razor from him and began to trim the longer parts of his beard into a goatee. Once he'd rinsed off the shaving cream, she used her tongue to clean up the droplets of water on his neck and the dips of his shoulders. She bit softly in a couple places and then used her tongue to soothe his skin.

"Liv." He groaned and tried to touch her, but she had a firm grip on his hands. She kissed along his jawline, chin, and upper lip where he still had facial hair left. Then, she sucked his lip into her mouth before releasing it and kissing him deeply. Their tongues danced together slowly exploring each other's mouths as if getting to know each other again. It had been a long 9 years in more ways than one. Elliot pulled back; aiming to move his lips to her neck when there was a knock on the door.

"Pizza's here!" Olivia moved away from him quickly laughing. He smacked her ass lightly.

"Tease!"

She was going to be the death of him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N; I hope you enjoyed my attempt at writing something a little more M rated than I'm used to; more to come! Plus their dinner Saturday and what they're going to do about Kathy. Please review for a preview of the next chapter.


	6. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm back! The news that they're going to go ahead with filming and airing Chris's new show this fall inspired me to write an update of this one :) enjoy!

By the time Saturday came around, Olivia knew the rest of the squad was pretty suspicious. Both Kat and Amanda had commented on the fact that she seemed to have a glow they weren't used to seeing on her. For now, she'd let them and Fin assume she was seeing someone new, but keeping him a secret. That wasn't totally a lie as she and Elliot _were_ in a relationship; even though Elliot definitely was not new. She'd break the news eventually, but wanted Elliot to have time to reunite with his family again before bringing more people back into his life. She didn't want him to feel overwhelmed.

Fin had told her they'd caught a big case, so she told him he could call her if needed. Of course, she was hoping she wouldn't get called in for this one. She wanted to spend time with her family today. _Her family_. It sounded so natural and it made her smile.

"Mom when are we leaving?"

"In about 10 minutes Noah. Is your homework finished?" He groaned.

"No. I can't figure out this one problem."

"Ask Elliot if he can help you."

"Why can't I just do it later?" He whined.

"Because I said so." She replied sternly. "Where's your father?" Again, it sounded so natural.

"Right here Liv. What do you think? Cap or fedora?"

"I thought you wanted to show off your new 'hair-style'?"

"I do, but I want it to be a surprise." He grinned cheekily.

"I like the fedora. It's very gentlemanlike and handsome." He tips the hat and bows.

"Why thank you, madam." She laughed and he gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"Stop kissing and help me!"

"Try again Noah" Olivia replied but smiled at her son's outburst.

"Please?"

"That's better." Then she gave Elliot one last kiss.

"Mom!"

"What are you working on buddy?" Elliot stepped in.

"Math. It's stupid. Long division. I like short division better." Both adults laugh.

"I like short division better too. Guess what? We can take that long division and break it into parts so it's short." Olivia was in awe of the scene in front of her. Her partner and her son were working on homework together. She never thought she'd see something like this.

"Oh! I get it! Thanks, dad!" Noah exclaimed after Elliot had explained how to do the problem. He smiled. If only it was true. Having a child with Olivia Benson had been a fantasy of his for a very long time.

"Good job honey. Go get your shoes on and we'll go."

"Ok, mom."

"That brought back memories. Dickie always hated long division too."

"Well...guys _are_ less patient." Olivia teased as they headed to the car.

**X**

When they got to Maureen's, Kathleen's car was already in the driveway, but the twins hadn't arrived yet. Elliot took a deep breath and hoped his reunion with 2 of his youngest would be as smooth as his reunion with the older girls had been.

Noah ran ahead of them and rang the doorbell. Olivia squeezed Elliot's hand. "It'll be fine El."

A man answered the door with a toddler in his arms. Elliot assumed this was Steve and Oliver, and even now it didn't seem real to him that he had a daughter that was old enough to be a wife and mother.

"You must be Mr. Stabler. I'm glad we get to meet sir. Welcome home." Elliot shook his hand grinning. It had been a while since he'd gotten to play the protective father role when it came to his daughter's and their significant others. It made him feel proud he could still have this effect on people.

"Hey call me Elliot. We're family now."

"Stephen Thompson and this is Oliver. Say hi to your grandpa."

"Gampy! " Elliot chuckles as the child claps and reaches for him.

"Mind if I hold him?"

"Not at all."

"Come here, little man." Maureen walks out of the kitchen just as Oliver reaches to take the hat off Elliot's head.

"Dad, what happened to your hair?" Elliot gasps dramatically feigning surprise.

"I think the big bad wolf blew it away." He speaks in a playful, childlike tone still looking at his grandson. He tickles him making the child laugh. "I should've held onto it better." That gets a laugh from the other adults in the room. Olivia puts a hand on Elliot's shoulder and turns to Maureen.

"Your father wanted to shave his head to _embrace his age_."

"I think it all ended up on his chin," Kathleen spoke up, and everyone laughed again when Oliver put Elliot's hat on Olivia's head.

"Livia!"

"Hello! Are you giving me a present?"

"Pwetty."

"Aw thank you. I love it!" She kisses his nose. "Do you wanna try it on?" She puts the hat on his head and he giggles.

"Ok, now that is adorable. Steve get the camera." Maureen snapped a picture of Oliver and then another one with him, Elliot, and Olivia.

**X**

They moved into the living room. Elliot and Olivia sat on the couch with Oliver and Noah on their laps. Maureen, Steve, and Kathleen sat across from them as they talked.

"So...when do we get to meet Tommy?" Elliot asks. He says his name in a dramatic tone and Kathleen almost blushes.

"Dad! Stop. He has to study tonight so he can't come."

"I'm glad my daughter picked a guy who sticks with the books."

"El, don't embarrass the poor girl."

"Thank you, Liv!" The adults all laugh at that.

"You're welcome, Katie."

"Mom am I gonna have to stick to books someday? I don't like reading."

"I'm afraid so Noah."

"Crap."

"Language!" Olivia scolded him.

"Sorry mom."

"Cwap!"

"No Oliver." Maureen tried replying with a straight face.

"I cwap!" Elliot suddenly plugs his nose and everyone bursts out laughing.

"Whew! You sure did buddy."

"I got him dad." Maureen takes him from Elliot's arms and leaves the room to change his diaper. The rest of the family is still laughing.

"He's a Stabler for sure. Strong. Even when he smells."

"Except Maureen and I right dad? Since we're girls?"

"Hate to break it to you Katie, but yours were the worst kind. Silent but deadly." She stuck her tongue out at him and he chuckled.

Maureen came back down a few minutes later and placed Oliver back on Elliot's lap. They all talked for a bit longer until the doorbell rang. She and Kathleen offered to talk to the twins first and went to the door.

"I'll take him El," Olivia said and gently moved Oliver to her own lap so Elliot could go into the entryway where his kids were. He had barely moved from the couch when he heard

"Daddy! Oh my god! Dad!" And his youngest daughter threw her arms around him crying. "I missed you so much daddy." He wrapped his arms around her tightly as he felt tears prick his own eyes.

"I missed you too sweetheart. I missed all of you." He sniffles and pulls back slightly looking around the room. "Speaking of, where's your brother?"

"He went back to the car. He's being stubborn."

"He's pissed at me isn't he?" Lizzie sighed.

"It's not your fault dad he's just pissed at the world. I think he just needs time."

"You want me to try and talk to him El?"

"I'll go Liv. You guys stay in here." Kathleen got up and headed to the door.

"So...have you guys talked about the Eli situation yet?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Fun fact: the 'I think the big bad wolf blew it away' line is what my grandpa used to say when I asked why he didn't have much hair left. :)
> 
> I decided to wait and have Elliot and Dickie's reunion in the next chapter since that relationship was always more complex. They'll also deal with Kathy of course at some point and more! Stay tuned and please review for a preview of the next chapter.


	7. Turmoil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm back with an update for this one! Originally this was only planned to be about a 10 chapter story, but I'm thinking now it may be a little closer to 15. We'll have to see. Enjoy!

"I'm not going in there." Kathleen sighed at her brother's stubbornness.

"Rich-"

"He betrayed us! Him and Liv! They faked his death so they could be together behind our backs! Why aren't you upset about this?"

"Because that's ridiculous! He was in witness protection. It wasn't his fault."

"How do we know that wasn't a lie? Everything else was! She let Lizzie and I think he was dead, and told you and Maureen he was in witness protection. But she didn't tell you they'd stayed in touch. What the hell made her so special? Why did she get to stay in contact with him but we couldn't have? We wouldn't have told anyone! We wouldn't have done anything that would've put him in danger. He just wanted an excuse to choose that homewrecking bitch over us!"

"Richard Stabler!" He and Kathleen were interrupted by Elliot. Dickie turned away from him in disgust. "Son-"

"I'm not your son you piece of shit. You should've stayed in the program or dead, or where ever the fuck you've been for the last 9 years!"

"Dickie! How could you say that he's our dad!"

"He's not mine!" He growled.

"Look you...you can be mad at me all you want, but don't you dare talk about Olivia like that. She promised me she would look out for you kids and do what she could to keep you safe. She kept me updated about you. She went to your games and school functions because I couldn't be there. She didn't have to do any of that, but she did it because believe it or not she cares about all of you. She doesn't deserve any of the things you just said about her. Your mother and I were already divorced when Olivia and I-"

"You expect me to believe that? You expect me to believe you only slept with her once?"

"Yes I do because it's the truth." Elliot was trying not to raise his own voice, but it was getting difficult.

"She took you away from us! She destroyed our family, and kept you as her dirty little secret for 9 years! She's probably the one that planted the bomb-"

"ENOUGH! If you say one more word about Olivia-" He growled.

"You're not denying it."

"Denying what?"

"That you're in love with her! That you chose her over us!"

"Richard you are such a child!"

"Kathleen, why don't you go back in the house."

"Dad-"

"Oh shut up Katie! You were part of it! You just love her because she helped you when your head was screwed up!"

"Dickie! Don't ever say something like that about your sister again! Kathleen go inside please."

"Fine."

"Where are you going?" Once Kathleen left Richard had made his way back to his car.

"Home!"

"Son-"

"Can you not call me that? Like ever again?" Elliot tried not to show how hurt he was by his son's rejection.

"I _will_ call you that because no matter how mad at me you are right now...you _are_ my son."

" _Was."_ He spat. "You're as dead to me as you were 9 years ago _Elliot."_ There was venom in his voice.

"Richard please listen to me-"

"I'd rather not! You should've just stayed away. Mom got remarried. We have a father figure. He's a hell of a lot better than you and we were happy. A lot happier than we ever were with you. Go to hell!"

"Dickie-" His voice cracked as he used his son's childhood nickname. The younger Stabler said nothing and simply drove off, leaving his father heartbroken on the driveway.

"Daddy." He turned around holding his tears in as he faced his youngest daughter. "He didn't mean it."

"I never wanted to hurt you kids. Olivia didn't either. We wanted to keep you safe. I hated that I had to leave like that."

"We know dad." Kathleen and Maureen joined their sister on the driveway.

"I do love her, but that doesn't mean I love any of you less than I did before. I didn't choose her over you. It was safer for as few people to know where I was as possible. Choosing just one of you to stay in contact with would've been too much pressure and wouldn't have been fair to you. I knew I could trust Olivia to look out for you and do right by 's why I chose her as the one I stayed in contact with. I'm glad I was able to help her through some tough times too, but I wasn't choosing her over you. You're all my family. I love all of you including your brothers."

"It's just...hard because the job kept you away from us and you spent so much time with Olivia." Lizzie replied hesitantly. "We already didn't see you much because of that, and then one day you were just...gone and we felt like we were robbed of the chance. When we found out that Olivia knew all along it hurt."

"We were partners at work. We had to spend time together. We never crossed the line when you're mom and I were married. Olivia did everything she could to try to keep our family together. We never meant for you kids to get hurt. As for what happened 9 years ago, if they had given me a chance to say goodbye I would have. The agents from the program came and got me one night from Olivia's. They told me about the bomb. Going with them was the only way I could keep the people I loved safe."

"I know I just wanted to explain where Dickie is coming from, but he didn't have the right to treat either of you that way. We love you too dad. Both of you. We know how happy Olivia makes you and you both deserve to be happy. It's just gonna take time."

"I did love your mother once, but we were so young when we got married. We rushed into it. It wasn't fair to us or to you that we stayed together as long as we did. She deserves to be happy too."

"Yeah...but not at the expense of Eli."

"We're gonna get that straightened out. There's a lawyer Olivia and I used to work with that might be able to help. Speaking of, where is Liv?"

"Still in the house. She wanted to give us some time with you." Maureen replied. "We don't blame her either dad."

"I know. Did she...did she hear any of that?"

"We heard you guys yelling and went to the front door. She didn't hear all of it but-"

"She heard enough." He sighed knowing his partner was likely blaming herself. "I need to talk to her real quick." As if on cue Olivia and Noah were out the door and heading to the car.

"Liv-"

"I'm gonna take Noah home. I want you to stay here with your kids for a few days." His eyes widened. "I'll bring your stuff by tomorrow."

"Olivia wait-"

"I'm not kicking you out El I just...I think we went about this wrong."

"Liv you gotta know none of this was your fault. What Dickie said-"

"Elliot I told you 9 years ago if we were going to be together that I didn't want to come between you and your kids."

"You haven't."

"He's right Liv. This wasn't your fault." Maureen spoke up and her sisters nodded.

"I appreciate that but I want you and your father to be able to talk through things without feeling like you're gonna upset me if you're being honest about how you're feeling. There's things your father and I need to discuss too that I think we should have considered a long time ago. We rushed into this El. We didn't think about how this was gonna affect them." Her heart sank at the hurt that filled his features.

"You regret it? That night?"

"I don't want to talk about this right now Elliot. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Liv-" His voice broke. The fact that he was already hurt by his interaction with his son made this feel like salt was being spread on an open wound.

"No. I don't regret it." She spoke low enough so only he could hear. "El the night we made love...before you were taken away...it was the best night of my life. Second only to a few days ago when you came home. I've never felt the way you made me feel that night with anyone else. But that was our first night together. We hadn't really had a discussion about the _relationship_ part, the risks involved, what we were gonna do about work, your family. I want to be with you, but I want us to make sure we go about it right so no one gets hurt. I want you to get to know your kids again and clear the air because even though Dickie doesn't know the whole story he had a point. They should have priority over me El, and I can see why he's feeling that way. Maybe it would've been better for all of us if I had known only as much as your kids did, if you and I had just...cut off contact too."

"I would've hated that."

"I would've too, but everyone would have been on the same page. Instead of me knowing the whole story and still talking to you, Maureen and Kathleen only knowing you were in WITSEC and the twins thinking you were dead. Maybe this reunion would be less complicated...if we'd said goodbye that night and that was it.

"When has anything with us _not_ been complicated? That's our word." They exchanged sad smiles.

"I love you. We'll talk more tomorrow ok?" He hated that the night had turned out the way it did, but he wanted to make things right with his kids too. He wondered though if it was too late with Dickie.

"Love you too. I'm sorry for how tonight turned out."

"Elliot if we expected your return to go perfectly it wouldn't be realistic. None of us can move forward with baggage hanging over us. Your kids need their daddy. They didn't have a small part of you with them for this last decade like I did and that wasn't right. Even though it wasn't our fault. It was the fault of the people who threatened you and your family. But I still want to give them time with you, even though I can't give them back all the time they lost."

"Ok." He understood it. He did. She was the most selfless person he'd ever met, and he knew she'd do anything for him and his kids to be happy even if it meant putting aside her own wants. He leaned in to give her a goodbye kiss but she pulled away.

"Not tonight. Not here. I don't want to focus on _us_ yet. I want to make sure there's no hurt feelings first. I want us to go about this the right way. You're a full package with 5 kids. When I fell in love with you I fell in love with them. You're my family, all of you, and I don't want any of us fighting for your attention or feeling less important. I'm gonna call Trevor tomorrow and see what we can do about Kathy and Eli. I'll let you know what he says. Right now your kids need to be our priority El. Then we can focus on _us_." She calls Noah over to her and they get back in her car. Elliot knows she's right but watches her drive away with a heavy heart.

"Is she ok daddy?" Lizzie asks.

"Yeah. Let's go back inside."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: How's that for some angst/drama? I figured with 5 kids not every reunion was going to be perfectly happy and welcoming. There had to be a little drama.
> 
> Next: Olivia goes back to work and her squad gets more suspicious, does she tell anyone? Elliot has a heart to heart with his girls, then they gotta deal with the Kathy thing, and then...well hopefully Dickie will come around right? ;)


	8. Whatever It Takes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi again! I'm back in my dorm now with a few days left of summer before Fall classes start so here's an update! Enjoy!

The one-six precinct was busy as usual when Olivia returned to work the next day. She'd sent Fin to do some canvassing, and Amanda and Kat to the hospital to interview the victim of their latest case. Things started winding down after a couple of hours. The good thing about the squad room being empty was it gave her a chance to make a phone call she'd been planning to make for several days without worrying about anyone eavesdropping.

"Langan."

"Trevor, it's Olivia. Are you busy this afternoon? I need to talk to you about something."

"I could come by on my lunch break."

"That would be great."

"Everything alright with Noah?"

"Yeah, he's good this is, uh,a different situation, but it's one I don't think should be discussed over the phone."

"You're...not pregnant, are you?"

"No. Definitely not. I told you that it was a _one-time thing_. Plus, I'm on the pill."

"For the record, though, if you were, I'd support you."

"I appreciate that, but you need to know that there's someone else now. It can never happen again."

"Does he make you happy?"

"He does. He makes me very happy."

"Good. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

She had turned to get started on some paperwork when her phone buzzed.

_You sleep ok?-El_

She smiled as she responded.

_Not bad. You?_

_I slept ok, but the girls said I snore loud._

She snickered at that.

_You do. Like a jackhammer._

_Hey!_

_3_

_You insult me and think an emoji will make it better?_

_Calm the ego, Stabler._

_Yes, Captain._

_I talked to Trevor; he's gonna come during lunchtime, and I'll talk to him about the Kathy situation._

_Thanks, Liv. I owe you one._

_The number you owe me is too high to count ;) but you're welcome. I gotta get back to work. Enjoy your day with the girls._

_Ok, stay safe. I love you._

_Love you too 3._

The next text she got was from Kat telling her they had a possible suspect; the victim's ex-boyfriend. They were preparing to see if they could track him down. She told them to call Carisi and ask for a warrant first so they could bring him in for questioning.

Luckily, she had enough paperwork to accomplish before lunch, so she worked on that for the next few hours. She took her glasses off, leaned back in her chair and yawned. It was time for a tea refill. She'd told Elliot she slept fine because she didn't want to worry him. However, sleep had not come easy with all the thoughts swarming through her mind. She couldn't get Dickie's words out of her mind, and she hoped that Elliot's relationship with his kids hadn't been permanently damaged by the way things had been handled. She hoped they could work something out. Being a father was the role Elliot valued most even though he struggled with having confidence; he was doing a good job. He put a lot of guilt on himself and it hurt her to see him hurting like that.

Then there was the situation with the youngest of the Stabler children. The biggest dilemma was always Eli. Kathy was the last person Olivia wanted to deal with right now, or ever, but she was more than willing to put up with her crap if it meant helping Elliot get his family back.

She did wonder, though, how exactly she was going to explain all of this to Trevor. To everyone outside of her and the Stabler family, Elliot had been dead for the last decade. He'd been blown up by a bomb that had been planted at his house. How was she even going to start the conversation? "Surprise! Elliot's alive!"

A knock on her office door told her she didn't have time to think about it anymore.

"Come in, Counselor."

"Hey, I brought tea."

"You're a lifesaver. Thank you." She put her glasses back on, a sign that she was ready to talk business.

"So, what's going on?" She sighed and decided to just come right out and say it.

"Elliot Stabler isn't dead." She hated the look of sympathy he gave her.

"I know you've lost a lot of people the last few years, and it's hard...but Olivia, you went to his funeral."

"There wasn't a body."

"Liv-"

"Trevor, listen. Elliot was in Witness Protection for nine years. He got to come home a few days ago. I was the only one that knew and was able to stay in touch with him."

"Wait you-"

"Let me finish, please. It wasn't safe for everyone to know. Only me and his two oldest daughters knew about it. The rest found out later."

"Kathy didn't know?"

"No, and she's the one I need to talk to you about. After Elliot's 'fake death' Kathy remarried and moved to Florida. She took Eli with her, but Elliot's daughter Kathleen told us it's not a suitable environment for him. He's not happy there because of how they treat him."

"Physical abuse?"

"No, but they devote more time and attention to Jeff's kids than to him. He's being neglected and the older kids have tried to talk to Kathy about Eli coming back here to live with them, but she is refusing. She won't even let them talk to him now because he told them about how things were there. Now that El's back, he and I would like to take custody from her."

"Does it seem like a dangerous environment?"

"It's a yes and a no. It's complicated. Elliot had his life taken away from him nine years ago and it forced him to live someone else's. It's not fair that one of his kids still be kept from him. He didn't do anything to deserve what happened and neither did they. Kathy knows Elliot is alive now, but it's obvious that she's not going to make things easy on us. I told El I would see if you could help."

"How old is Eli now?"

"He's twelve, so he just finished sixth grade. Moving to a different place for middle school will be an adjustment, but I think it will be worth it. Not only would he be able to know his father, but he'd also be with his siblings again and have a little brother."

"Do you know if Kathy filed for divorce while she was still living in New York?"

"I'm not sure. I assume so."

"If she did then we still have jurisdiction for a hearing. If she waited and filed in Florida Elliot will need a family lawyer down there. I will make some phone calls in case she files a change of jurisdiction, and see who I can recommend for you. It might be good to be in touch with someone down there too. Just in case. That way we have a plan in place before you guys call her."

"Thank you, you don't know how much we appreciate it."

"It's not a problem." He heads for the door but then turns around. "Can I ask-"

"Yes. Elliot is the 'someone else'."

"It's about time." She laughed. "I think the whole city had been betting on you getting together since the first year you worked together." She rolled her eyes. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you both got your heads out of your asses." She just laughed and shook her head.

"Thank you."

**X**

The squad room was still empty, and Olivia had caught up on paperwork. Now with nothing else to do, she found herself looking at her phone wondering if she should call Elliot now to tell him about her conversation with Trevor. She picked up the phone, scrolled to find his contact, put the phone back down and tapped her fingers on the desk. Part of her hoped for another distraction. Such as one of her detectives calling her with information about the case, or Noah's school calling because he was sent to the principal's office...again.

She rubbed her temples and looked at the clock. Deciding she deserved another tea refill she got up and went to the break room. She leaned against the wall as she looked around the squad room while sipping the beverage. Her eyes lingered on the desks that used to belong to her and Elliot. She knew all those years ago she would do anything for her partner and his family. She still would. She would go to the ends of the earth for Elliot and his kids, so whether Kathy liked it or not she wasn't going to get away with this.

Which meant as much as she'd like for them to not have to go through a custody trial she wasn't afraid to take Kathy to court and fight for the Stablers just like Elliot had always done for her. Once they heard from Trevor she'd try to call Kathy first and reason with her, but if that didn't work she was prepared no matter how ugly things got.

She went back to her desk and picked her phone up again finding Elliot in her text messages.

_Hey, do you have a sec?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts. Also thanks to Fragilevixenfic for the beta help.


	9. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm back with an update of this after two months! I think there will be about five more chapters after this one, but of course, the plot bunnies may change their mind. Enjoy!

Despite being on opposing sides in the past, Elliot was thankful Trevor was willing to help. He told Olivia that he and Kathy had filed for divorce in New York shortly before he retired, so unless she filed a change in the jurisdiction of the custody trial, it would take place in New York. They talked for a few more minutes, and Elliot told her he had talked through some things with his girls that morning. He didn't feel like he deserved for them to be as forgiving as they were, especially after the way Dickie reacted to his return. However, after the emotional encounter with his son, he was glad the conversation with his daughters that started with tears ended with laughter.

Knowing her squad would be returning to the precinct soon, Olivia told him she'd call him after work. She was glad to hear that he was going to spend the rest of the day watching his grandson for Maureen and her husband while they worked. He needed some normalcy and happiness. He was home now and even though things wouldn't always be easy, she wanted him to be able to relax and feel like himself again. The one thing they didn't discuss was 'them'. Even though they were technically together, she wanted to focus on his kids right now. She promised him that once they sorted out the situation with Eli that he was welcome to come over for dinner with her and Noah. She reassured him again that the break from their relationship was only temporary. She wanted to do right by his whole family because she loved them like they were her own.

An hour later, her squad room was buzzing with activity as her detectives returned to work on paperwork and to make phone calls. She picked up her cell and was walking out of her office to see what they had found out about the case when a message lit up the screen.

_From Trevor Langan: Tell Elliot to contact Madison Rogers's law firm in Tampa just in case Kathy files a change in jurisdiction. She specializes in child custody disputes. From what I hear she is one of the best in the county._

She replied with a 'thank you' and told him she'd let Elliot know after work that they would have a conversation about it. Then, she placed her phone in her pocket and turned to her detectives.

"Ok, what do you have for me?"

**X**

After distributing various assignments to her squad, Olivia was back in her office. She sighed and waited to make that dreaded phone call once her detectives had gone back into the field. Kathy Malone, or whatever her married name was now, was the last person in the world she wanted to talk to. She needed to do it for Elliot. Olivia knew the other woman wasn't going to just give in without a fight, but she had to try if it meant possibly saving Elliot and Eli from having to go through a custody trial. If that didn't work she would let her partner's ex-wife know, in no uncertain terms, that they were fully prepared to take the fight to court. She picked up her phone and leaned back in her chair deciding to just get it over with.

By the second ring Olivia was questioning whether she should've waited until she was home to make the call, but it was too late.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Kathy, it's Olivia."

"Benson? I must say you were the last person I was expecting a phone call from today. Why are you-oh god, is it related to your job? Did something happen to one of the girls?"

"No, it's nothing like that, I promise. I wanted to talk to you about Eli."

Kathy's tone changed to one soaked with contempt and she seethed. "Ugh, the kids put you up to this didn't they? You always have to get involved in our family's business, Olivia! From the moment you and Elliot were first partnered. You _have_ a son now! You don't need us! You're not lonely anymore! You can finally stop invading our lives!"

"Kathy I never-"

"Eli is _my_ son! You're not his mother, Olivia! You are just his father's mistress! That's pretty low on the list of people who have the right to-"

"That's uncalled for and you know it. I was there when you gave birth to him! I saved-"

"Ohhh yes how could I forget!? Our fucking saint! I don't know what my older children told you but Eli is perfectly happy here, so you can go back to sleeping around and wrecking families all you want. Stay out of mine!"

"The only one wrecking a family is _you,_ Kathy!" She spat with just as much venom. "I did everything I could to keep you and Elliot together, to keep your kids together. You're the one that left Elliot and moved to another state!"

"You know what, you're right! This is all Elliot's fault! That bastard let his family think he was dead so he could be with you! I don't even care. You can have him! He was dead to me for years, anyway! Jeff is a much better father and husband than Elliot could ever dream of being! He didn't even have the balls to tell us he was going into Witness Protection! He just abandoned us, but not you! Not his precious Olivia! He could never leave you because for some reason I can't figure out everyone is so in love with you!"

Olivia was glad the squad room was empty because she was unable to keep from raising her voice.

"First of all, Elliot didn't tell you because he was trying to keep you and your kids _safe_ , you bitch!"

"Oh please! That was his excuse for everything. He couldn't talk to me about work because he wanted to keep the job away from his family. He wouldn't transfer to a different unit because he wanted to keep the city safe for his kids. He wouldn't get a new partner because he didn't trust anyone else to have your back the way he did. He wouldn't sign the fucking divorce papers because he didn't want me to regret him. He moved back home when I got pregnant with Eli because I asked him to, not because he wanted to. Then he let us think he was dead so he could keep us safe. I'm so sick of him always wanting to do the _right_ thing. We never meant anything to him. We were just a duty that he had to fulfill, an obligation. _You_ were the love of his life, but he couldn't have you so he settled for us.

"That's not even close to the truth! You and the kids were the most important people in Elliot's life-"

"Oh, whatever."

"You were! Look, Kathy, I didn't call to fight about Elliot."

"Then why the hell did you call Olivia!? God, why can't you just leave us alone!?"

"Because no matter what you think about me, I love your kids, and punishing Eli, or any of them, because of how you feel about Elliot, isn't right."

"You just want them all to yourself. Well, you can have Elliot, and you can have the older ones, but I will not let you take my son from me."

"He's not just _your_ son, Kathy. No matter what you try, it doesn't change the fact that Elliot is still his father."

"There you go defending that asshole again! God, Olivia! You were always obsessed with him! Maybe I was wrong about you two sleeping together if he was actually good to you. He was just playing sweet until you finally gave it up, then he got sick of you, too. He let you call him on the phone since you were lonely and miserable, and no one else wanted to deal with you, but he still made sure he was physically out of your life so he could have some space!"

Olivia's eyes burned with hatred as she pressed her lips together waiting for Kathy to finish her rant.

"Maybe he did," Her voice was cold. "Maybe, you're just a bitter woman who doesn't want to share custody with someone who didn't love you no matter how many babies you tricked him into having!"

"You have a lot of balls to say something like that to me-"

"Yeah, you know what, I do. I'm not gonna let you get away with what you're doing to Elliot's son. You can hate me all you want, but it's only gonna hurt your case in the end."

"My case? Elliot wants to take us to court? After everything else he's put us through!?"

"No! No you're the one that put yourself and your kids through this Kathy! Maybe, instead of blaming all your marital and family problems on Elliot, or me, you should try looking in the mirror! Sleeping with your ex-husband when he's in a clearly vulnerable state and getting pregnant because you knew you could convince him to move home? Even though your marriage had died out years ago? What does that say about you?"

"You bitch-"

"Think what you want about me, but you better have an attorney. We'll be meeting with our lawyer to schedule the custody hearing as soon as possible."

"Oh please, you don't actually think you'll win, do you? A secure family environment versus a deadbeat father and his lover who has a dangerous job? Please."

"Elliot's retired Kathy. He can watch his son."

"Nice try. My brother-in-law is an attorney, I will be contacting him after I end this call. If Elliot really wants to fight for any of his kids, for once, he can come here to do that."

Olivia couldn't believe the way Kathy was behaving. It stunned her because it was so unlike the reasonable woman she thought she once knew.

"Fine, we'll be ready," She hung up before the other woman could respond.

Elliot had always done right by his kids, and she wasn't going to listen to Kathy's outrageous accusations for another second. Her partner was a good man, and there was going to be hell to pay for anyone who treated him and his kids otherwise.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Fin's knock on the office door.

"Kat and I just got back. We heard you yelling at someone about a custody trial. Is everything okay with Noah?"

"Yeah," She sighed, thinking it might be better to get this conversation over with, too. "Look Fin, there's something you should know. Ask Kat and Rollins to come in here, please."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter: the squad finds out, the hearing is scheduled, and a guest joins Elliot, Olivia, and Noah for dinner. Who is it? Thanks for reading and please review! :)


	10. Rumors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As I typed this I realized this will probably be the last thing I write in 2020. What a crazy year this has been! Fanfiction has definitely helped get me through it and I appreciate everyone who has read, favorited, followed, and reviewed this and my other stories. I hope reading them has been a nice escape from reality for you like writing them has been for me. Also, speaking of an escape from reality, I considered incorporating the pandemic into this like some have, but since this story is almost over I decided not to. So even though this story is technically set in 2020, COVID doesn’t exist in this world. Happy new year everyone and I hope you enjoy this last update of 2020!

“What’s going on Captain?” Kat asked as she and Rollins entered Olivia’s office. 

“Do I need to kick someone’s ass? You know I will,” Fin added and Olivia snorted. 

“No you do not need to kick anyone’s ass, but there is something you need to know,” She paused, unsure how to break the news. She locked eyes with Fin. “Before I tell you who was on the phone I need to tell you why. Nine years ago a former NYPD Detective’s house was bombed. He and his family weren’t home at the time, but because there was evidence that he was intentionally targeted, he was placed in the witness protection program. Almost everyone, including his wife and kids, were told that he had been killed in the explosion. Last week the suspects responsible for the bomb were taken out by snipers, and the former detective was allowed to come home. He’s slowly reuniting with his family, but he needs our help,” She continued when she saw her squad’s puzzled expressions. “During his time in the program, to keep himself and his family safe, he had to cut off all contact with everyone except his former partner...me.” 

“Wait a minute. You ain’t talking about-” Fin started and she nodded. “Damn.”

“Elliot Stabler is alive.”

“Was he the one that retired right before I got here? I remember hearing rumors about you two,” Olivia rolled her eyes at Amanda’s second sentence. 

“Yes, he was the one who retired before you got here and those rumors were not true,” Fin raised an eyebrow. “They were not true at the  _ time. _ It only happened once and the point of telling you about him was not so we could discuss my love life.” She added sternly. 

“But you admit that there  _ is _ a love life?” He teased. 

“Will you stop talking about it if I say yes.”

“For now.” 

“Then yes. There is, but we are trying to figure things out with his kids first before we focus on us.” 

“For what it’s worth, I’m happy for you Liv.” 

“Thanks, Fin. Anyways-” She was interrupted by Fin addressing Kat and Rollins.

“But seriously, you two should have seen them when they were partners. The sexual tension-”

“Sergeant Tutuola!” 

“Sorry cap,” He chuckled.

“Anyways. I wanted you to know for a couple of reasons. One is even though it was technically safe for him to come home I wanted some backup just in case. I think it’s good for people he can trust to know first before everyone else does,” They nodded. 

“Of course. I didn’t always like the guy, but if he makes you happy-”

“He makes me very happy, and Noah seems to like him too,” She reassured Fin. 

“Then as long as he doesn’t do anything to hurt you he can count on me,” She smiled at his overprotectiveness. 

“Yeah, I’m with Fin. “I’ll have your back Captain.”

“I will too.” 

“Thank you. The second reason is that his ex-wife Kathy is trying to keep him from seeing his youngest son.” 

“Is that who you were yelling at on the phone?” 

“Yes. Elliot is trying to get custody taken from her because she and her new husband are neglecting Eli. He isn’t happy there and we think he’d be happier here. Trevor is gonna help us build our case, but Kathy is going to make this as difficult as she can,” She sighed. “Anyway, I wanted you to know because I might be taking some time off if we end up going to court, which means Fin will be in charge for a few days. Try to keep this place standing for me?” She smirked.

“You got it.” 

“Ok, that’s all. Back to work everyone.”

**X**

She texted Elliot to let him know that her squad was now in the loop about him. To her surprise, he offered to bring her lunch while they were still working. She wasn’t sure he’d be ready to come to the precinct yet. After all, the last time he had been there was when the shooting happened. He told her he had spent the last nine years living in fear and he didn’t want that to overpower him anymore. Plus, even though it had only been two days since he had seen her, he missed her. She smiled and told him he had gotten soft in his old age. 

Trevor sent her a text a few minutes later to let her know he had scheduled the custody hearing. It would be in two weeks, and both partners were glad they had a little bit of time so Elliot could get used to his old life again before more stress was placed on him. He had also contacted Madison Rogers’s law firm in Tampa in case Kathy’s attorney brother-in-law had her file a change in jurisdiction. For now, though, the trial would take place in New York. Olivia was just glad they were prepared now that they knew how ugly Kathy was going to make this. 

She was finishing up some paperwork on her desk when there was a knock on the door. 

“Come in.”

“Good afternoon my love,” She chuckled at Elliot’s goofy grin. 

“It’s lunchtime already?” She yawned. “Please tell me you brought me caffeine.”

“What kind of partner would I be if I didn’t? Coke and Chinese,” He placed the items on her desk and kissed the top of her head. 

“I knew there was a reason I loved you. Did you already eat?” 

“Yeah, I took Oliver to McDonald’s before I dropped him off at daycare. I saved some room though so I could spend some time with my girl,” Olivia blushed slightly as she took the food he’d brought her out of the bag. 

“Sweet talker,” She took a sip of her coke as he put some noodles in his mouth. “What do you want, Stabler?” She teased.

“I want to have dinner with you and Noah.” 

“El-”

“I know. I know we said we needed to get things straightened out with my kids first, but I talked to them. We hashed some things out. Granted, there’s still Dickie and Eli, but I’m not asking you on a date. I just want to have dinner with my friend.”

“Your friend, your girl, or your love?” She questioned him, remembering the terms of endearment he had called her earlier. 

“It slipped out. I couldn’t help it.” 

“Uh-huh.”

“Liv,” He whined and she laughed. 

“Well, now that I think about it Noah would probably love it if you came over.”

“Is he the only one?” She smiled.

“You know he’s not,” They were interrupted by the squad returning to the bullpen.  _ I love you  _ she mouthed to him and he blew her a kiss as they walked out of her office. 

“Well if it isn’t-” 

“Do not finish that sentence Sergeant Tutuola,” Olivia warned, knowing the wisecrack Fin was about to say would likely not be a nice one and Elliot didn’t deserve that right now. He put his hands up in mock surrender. 

“I wasn’t gonna say nothin’. Glad you’re alive, Stabler.” 

“Thanks, Fin.”

“Listen, just because you got back into her good graces so easily don’t expect the same from the rest of us. If you do anything to hurt her or Noah-”

“Got it,” He couldn’t really blame Fin for the threat. After all, he was just as much if not more protective of Olivia and probably would have said the same thing. 

“Now that you two are done sizing each other up,” Olivia interrupted and turned to Amanda and Kat. “This is Elliot Stabler, who I was telling you about earlier. We were partners in this unit for twelve years. El, this is Detective Amanda Rollins and Officer Kat Tamin.”

“Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” Amanda shook his hand and eyed him up and down, lingering on his chest. Olivia rolled her eyes. 

“He’s not single Amanda.” 

“I know. I wasn’t-” 

“You can look but don’t touch. Actually, please don’t even look. Back to work everyone.” 

“You know,” Elliot whispered huskily in her ear. “The way you staked your claim just now...that was kinda hot,” She rolled her eyes. 

“Down boy,” He chuckled. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

**X**

Noah wanted spaghetti for dinner and Olivia was a bit nervous. Throughout the course of their partnership, when she and Elliot had dinner together, they always ordered takeout. This would be the first time he would be trying her cooking. A skill she had only acquired since adopting Noah. 

She bit her lip as she watched him take a bite and sighed in relief when he smiled. 

“It’s good, Liv.”

“Are you sure? You’re not just saying that to keep me from sending you back to WITSEC?” She half-joked. 

“I’m not just saying that. I love it.” 

“Good. I’d hate to poison you on your first week back,” He chuckled. 

“Mommy, what’s  _ wit-sex _ ?” Olivia choked on her tea at her son’s inaccurate pronunciation. 

“WITSEC Noah. I don’t ever want to hear the word  _ sex _ come out of your mouth again until you’re old like your father and me.”

“Hey! I’m not old!” Elliot whined. 

“Not the point, Stabler,” They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Olivia quickly got up to open it and Elliot chuckled. 

Kids say the darndest things. 

“Hey Liv, is dad here?” Both partners were surprised to see Dickie in the doorway. 

“I’m here, son.” 

“Can we talk?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know y’all love my cliffhangers, so I decided to leave you with one. Heeheehee. Next chapter will be Elliot and Dickie’s conversation. How do you think it will go? Thanks for reading!
> 
> Thanks to my beta FragileVixenFic!


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